1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to holders for computer diskettes and more particularly to an improved diskette holder which provides for a temporary or interim holder for a limited number of diskettes for simple handling as well as rapid and easy access.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Often a computer has fewer disk drives than the number of diskettes required for a particular job. Diskettes which are not in use at any particular moment for a particular job, for example, should be readily and conveniently accessible so that one diskette may be easily replaced by another in the computer whenever desired. Also, the envelope for any such diskette which is in a disk drive should be able to be stored in the holder so that it is also easily and conveniently accessible when the diskette is removed from the drive.
In the prior art relating to data diskette storage, designs for diskette holders were restricted by the fact that the conventional diskettes were flexible, and thus could not be supported in cantilever fashion along an edge or from a corner without the possibility of damaging the recording medium. With the advent of rigid-case diskettes, existing designs for diskette holders were adapted with apparently little thought being given to a simplified diskette holder which holds a number of diskettes for temporary or interim storage and display while providing protection and convenient insertion and removal.
Exemplary of the present state of the art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,600,110 and No. 4,629,067.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,110 discloses a temporary holder for computer diskettes and their envelopes in the form of a knockdown assembly having two rigid, upstanding, opposite end pieces, two bottom rails extending horizontally between the end pieces, and normally flat, thin, vinyl strips flexed into an inverted U-shape and held end-to-end by the bottom rails between the end pieces to provide successive slots in which diskettes or their envelopes can be inserted and resiliently held temporarily.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,067 discloses a holder for rigidcase diskettes, comprising a platform having a plurality of lateral grooves in the upper surface thereof for receiving diskettes. Diskette support means associated with each groove are attached to or integral with the platform and comprise a front support face angled upwardly and forwardly from the area of the groove and an opposing rear support face angled upwardly and rearwardly from the area of the groove.
While such prior art devices provide improvement in the area intended, such devices leave much to be desired in the area of providing a temporary diskette holder which is versatile in the type of diskettes held and which provides for convenient insertion and removal of diskettes.
Accordingly, a principal desirable object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved diskette holder which conveniently holds a number of diskettes for interim storage and display and which provides convenient removal and insertion of the diskettes.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a holder for computer diskettes with the foregoing characteristics having an open framework construction.
A still further desirable object of the present invention is to achieve the above desirable objects with an essentially simple structure, lending itself to inexpensive mass-production.
These and other desirable objects of the invention will in part appear hereinafter and will in part become apparent after consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings and the claims.